The present invention relates to apparatus for use in the repair of vehicles, and more particularly relates to apparatus that is conveniently movable from one location to another and that includes an hydraulic pulling mechanism that enables a dent or the like to be easily and quickly pulled to a position for finished repair.
It has been the usual procedure in the repair of vehicles that have suffered damage in collisions to pull out the dents and other parts of the vehicle that have been subjected to impact to a position for finished repair. Various kinds of apparatus for this purpose have been utilized heretofore, some of this apparatus being air operated. It has been found that air-operated dent pullers were difficult to control and did not enable the operator to obtain an effective result. Hydraulic-operated dent pullers have also been developed and provide a more effective tool for accomplishing their purposes. Examples of such devices which represents the best prior art of which applicant is aware are in U.S. patents to FERGUSON et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,979,102; KUHN, U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,934; JARMIN et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,716; CELETTE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,136; and DOUGHTY, U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,613.
The patent to FERGUSON et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,979,102, discloses the use of a portable straightening tool that is provided with a horizontal beam that is movable beneath a vehicle to be repaired. Although the FERGUSON et al patent does include some form of a power cylinder and chain for effecting a pulling action in the straightening of dents in vehicles, the FERGUSON et al patent does not provide for sufficient control of the power cylinder to enable the chain to be pulled in a manner that provides for the incremental movement of the part of the vehicle to be repaired to the restored position thereof. The patent to FERGUSON et al further does not utilize a bracket assembly through which a pulling chain extends for use in exerting the pulling action for restoring the damaged part to a position for finishing. The patents to KUHN, U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,934, and DOGHTY, U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,613, illustrate some form of a bracket assembly as used in dent pullers but do not provide for the portable movement of a horizontal beam beneath the vehicle to be repaired. Thus, neither FERGUSON, KUHN nor DOUGHTY show the combination of elements of the subject invention that provide for the convenient and efficient operation thereof. The other patents referred to above, that is, the patents to JARMIN et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,716 and CELETTE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,136, show other forms of straightening devices for vehicles that are only of general interest.
Because of the deficiencies of the prior art devices in providing a convenient portable apparatus that is simple to use and effective in operation for the repair of damaged vehicles, the subject invention has been developed; and as will be discussed hereinafter, the present invention provides a relatively inexpensive apparatus that is portable in use and that is simple and effective in the operation thereof.